Guides

10 or more Years Old

The Guide section is open to all girls aged 10 or more. Girls take part in a wide range of activities from adventure sports to fun games, from community action projects to performing arts, and much more.

Starting Guides

A girl starting Guides will choose which Patrol she would like to join.  Patrols are groups of four to eight girls who, with the support of their Leader, choose and run most of their activities themselves. To help them do this there are resources available such as the ‘Go For It!’ packs covering a wide range of themes.  She will receive a welcome pack which will include resources telling her about Guides and the Promise and usually after a few weeks the new Guide feels ready to make her Promise:

“I Promise that I will do my best: to love my God; to serve the Queen and my country; to help other people and to keep the Guide Law.”

Girlguiding, in every section, follows what are known as "The Five Essentials."  For Guides these are worded as:

  • Guides work together in small groups
  • Guides are encouraged to govern themselves and make their own decisions
  • Guides have a balanced and varied programme
  • Guides care for the individual
  • Guides share a commitment to a common standard

Guide programme

Being a Guide is about belonging to a group, learning new skills, making new friends and helping others. Each Guide is encouraged to achieve her own personal goals through a progressive programme. Girls can extend their knowledge and skills by working towards Guide interest badges which cover many different hobbies and activities from Interpreter to World cultures. They can also gain Challenge badges that recognise their participation in Guiding over a period of time. These badges build towards the Baden-Powell Challenge Award, named in honour of the founder of Guiding, which takes real commitment to complete.

The Guide programme is divided into five areas:

  • Discovery: we encourage Guides to undertake challenges and push the boundaries of their experience. This could involve outdoor activities such as climbing or canoeing, learning a new skill, taking part in a project to benefit their community, or even visiting one of our World Centres in places as far off as India or Mexico.
  • Healthy lifestyles: we promote physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing by informing girls about healthy eating and  exercise, and raising awareness of issues such as body image, alcohol and drugs.
  • Global awareness:  we encourage girls to be active global citizens by raising their awareness of world issues such as development and climate change, and by providing opportunities for them to travel and meet members from overseas.
  • Skills and relationships:  we aim to increase girls' self-confidence and improve their inter-personal and life skills.  Our activities foster communication, team work, decision-making, and respect for the views and values of others.
  • Celebrating diversity:  we are an inclusive organisation and aim to raise girls' awareness of issues such as gender stereotyping, discrimination and disability rights. We celebrate and promote understanding of different cultures and foster cross-community links.

Everything a Guide does helps her to develop and to think for herself, in a safe girl-only environment.

Leaving Guides

Towards the end of her Guide days, a Guide may be introduced to the Senior Section for 14 to 25 year olds.  To find out more, visit the Senior Section page

Enquiries

If you are a parent/guardian who would like to enrol your daughter into Guides, please fill out the Girlguiding Cornwall’s Joining Form to be put in touch with a local Unit or telephone 0800 1695901

Are you a Guide?

Then visit Girlguiding UK’s Guide activity website